Bone plate fixation systems for repairing bone fractures are used in a variety of orthopedic applications. These fixation systems include orthopedic bone plates that may be provided in many shapes, sizes and configurations. In cases where a bone is severely comminuted or if bone segments are missing, the use of a bone plate fixation system promotes healing of the fracture by providing a rigid fixation or support structure between the bone and the plate. In some instances, the bone plate fixation system is designed for use in treating a particular type of bone or a specific portion or region of a bone, and may also be provided with specific structures and/or features that facilitate treatment of the bone and provide the necessary support and stabilization to facilitate healing.
One particular type of orthopedic plate commonly used to treat volar plate injuries is a volar distal radius plate which is specifically designed to treat injuries or fractures associated with the distal radius bone. Volar distal radius plates typically require multiple points of bone screw fixation in the metaphyseal region of the distal radius bone at acute and differing angles relative to the plate. Many times, the angular orientation or trajectory of one or more of the bone screws used to attach the plate to the bone is variable, and the particular angular orientations of the bone screws are determined by the surgeon during the surgical procedure based on patient anatomy and fracture patterns. However, some surgeons prefer to place one or more of the bone screws at a fixed angle and at a predetermined angular orientation or trajectory in the plate.
Drill guide systems are sometimes used in association with a bone plate during a surgical procedure to assist the surgeon in drilling multiple holes at diverging and converging orientations or trajectories within the bone for receipt of a corresponding number of bone screws which attach the bone plate to the bone. Existing drill guide systems accommodate for either variable angle or fixed angle bone screw trajectories, but not both. In order to provide the surgeon with the flexibility to place bone screws using both variable angle and fixed angle placement methods, a comprehensive drill guide system is needed to provide this flexibility in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Thus, there remains a need to provide an improved drill guide system and method for guiding a drill and/or placement of bone screws relative to a bone plate using both variable angle and fixed angle placement methods. The present invention satisfies this need and provides other benefits and advantages in a novel and unobvious manner.